Three suspected drug kingpins arrested within hours in Durban

29 January 2021 - 18:28 By orrin singh
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A suspected gang leader was arrested shortly after midnight in Chatsworth, south of Durban, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder
A suspected gang leader was arrested shortly after midnight in Chatsworth, south of Durban, on charges of conspiracy to commit murder
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Almost a month after suspected drug kingpin Yaganathan Pillay, 62, was murdered at his home in Shallcross, south of Durban, police have swooped and arrested three alleged drug kingpins, one facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

TimesLIVE can reveal that two siblings from a gang known as the “Mafia Brothers” were  arrested on Thursday morning during a raid at Saturn Place in Mariannridge, west of Durban, while the second raid was done under the cloak of midnight at the home of the alleged leader of the “11th Street” gang on Train Road in Chatsworth, south of Durban.

Metro police spokesperson Snr Supt Parboo Sewpersad confirmed that both raids were as a result of a multidisciplinary operation between the Metro drug team and various SAPS units.

“Four men were arrested in Mariannridge on Thursday morning. This after reports were received that the community was being terrorised by the gang. They were arrested for dealing and being in possession of drugs.” 

He said shortly after midnight Metro members assisted SAPS provincial organised crime (Anti-Gangs and Narcotics) and members of the national intervention unit (NIU) during a raid at Chatsworth where one person was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder.

It is understood that shortly after the man was placed under arrest and escorted to the police station, he became ill.

He was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital where he was transferred to ICU after allegedly suffering a heart attack.

The identity of all three alleged kingpins are known to TimesLIVE.

Police have been approached for comment.

Pillay, known commonly as Teddy Mafia, was gunned down at his home on January 4, setting in motion a sequence of gory events which saw his two alleged attackers shot, decapitated and their bodies burnt in full view of the public.

Shortly after Pillay was killed police minister Bheki Cele questioned police as to why Teddy Mafia was never brought to book despite being a “known gangster and drug dealer”.

TimesLIVE

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